Breuners Arizona Sells Scottsdale Property; All 4 Stores to Close

April 25, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on April 2007 A 40-year retail institution in Scottsdale, Ariz., is coming to an end.

Four-store Breuners Arizona has agreed to sale its property located at 1776 N. Scottsdale Road and 1800 N. Scottsdale Road to Scottsdale HealthCare. The property is home to Breuners Arizona and the Kids Room by Breuners.

Once a closing sale is wrapped up at the four stores, all four sites will close. The sale is set to begin Tuesday.

“It is with heartfelt appreciation that I thank everyone who has been so instrumental over the past four decades in making this furniture store such a success” said Mary Ann Levitt, president. “The decision to sell the properties was the most difficult we have ever had to make. Our family and staff will always treasure the life-long friendships that this business helped create.”

Norman Levitt, Mary Ann’s father, built the retail operation in 1967. It opened as Mayo’s Home Furnishings and then converted to Breuners in 1976. Mary Ann, along with her sister Ellen and brother Tom, took back the business in 1993 and expanded it to include two other Breuners Arizona stores in Arrowhead, Ariz., and Prescott, Ariz., as well as the Kids Room, which has become the largest children’s furniture store in Arizona.

Mary Ann Levitt said the property was never put on the market, but recent changes in south Scottsdale, including the development of Arizona State University’s SkySong across from the stores, led to unsolicited offers. The offer from Scottsdale HealthCare was too good to ignore, Levitt said. SkySong is a mixed-use project of 1.2 million square feet of office, research and retail space. Plans call to add multi-family residential, a hotel and conference center to the project.

She said in the immediate future she still sees herself going to industry events. “This is what I know,” she said.

Tom Daley, general manager for the retailer, serves on Home Furnishings Business’ Retail Advisory Board. Daley said he is currently looking for another position in the furniture industry.

Jami Myers, upholstery and kids buyer for the store, is considering opening a juvenile furniture retailer in the area.